The V-Moda Remix Remote headphones sell for $79.99 on Amazon.com and they're one of the best overall values in the headphone category. This is not just due to their impressive sonic reach and noise-isolating clarity, but also because V-Moda customers are treated to a level of attention and responsiveness that I haven't experienced from any other vendor.

CEO Val Kolton is an active player on multiple message boards for hi-fi heads where he responds to nearly every query and complaint from customers, and even uses their collective ideas to influence product plans. Headphones are jury-tested by working DJs from all genres, and though you may spot the V-Moda Crossfade M-100 over-ears on Avicii or Deadmau5, you should know that these artists aren't paid to use them onstage -- it's by choice.

As the audio industry continues its mission to convince everyone that it's worth spending money on a decent pair of headphones, the V-Moda Remix Remotes are a great example of how companies should earn that trust. They're featherweight at just 17 grams, though their all-metal earbud construction will do more for long-term durability than the simple glued-together plastic style used by the competition.

Nine-millimeter dynamic drivers in each bud give off hearty bass and luscious tones across a wide frequency spectrum, and a two-year manufacturer's warranty offers a comforting security blanket for a product designed for pocket travel. If you're looking to replace your stock earbuds for less than $100, the V-Moda Remix Remote headphones are practically flawless and deserve your attention.

Design and features V-Moda understands that the value of a pair of headphones is only as good as their endurance against the threats of everyday transport. The Remix Remotes are armed to do battle with metal ear fittings that house the 9mm neodymium drivers, and a Kevlar sheath wraps the 32-inch braided cable in an extra layer of durability.

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The most common stress points on earbuds are at the joints -- that is, where the earpieces connect to the wire and down at the bottom at the plug. V-Moda reinforces these areas with extra rubber articulation that allows more bending to accommodate deep earphone ports on a lot of modern case designs.

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With all that extra material, one might assume that you'd have to sacrifice weight for durability, but as I mentioned, these headphones weigh only 17 grams, which includes the three-button rubber remote and microphone that sit beneath the Y-split left and right cables. You use the three buttons to play and pause your music in addition to adjusting the volume of the track, depending on which smartphone you own.

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It's also worth noting that the placement of said remote is no coincidence -- lots of headphones put the remote halfway down the cable of the right ear, which exerts enough pull on the earpiece that even a slight jostle can rip it out.

About The Author

Justin Yu covers headphones and peripherals for CNET. When he's not wading through Web gulch or challenging colleagues to typing tests, you can find him making fun of technology with Jeff Bakalar every afternoon on The 404 show.